


Coming Home With Fire and Shadows

by PinkGold



Category: DCU, Titans (TV 2018)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Don't copy to another site, Getting Back Together, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-01
Updated: 2019-02-26
Packaged: 2019-10-20 12:37:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,664
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17622518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PinkGold/pseuds/PinkGold
Summary: Hank never told her, but she knows his anxiety doesn’t come only from retirement.UPDATE! 26/02/2019: I added a second chapter! :)





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Heyoo!!  
> I fixed Titans, don't need to thank me.  
> Ps: I've only watched three eps till now so this is all based on that second episode where Hawk and Dove appears for the first time.  
> Enjoy!

“Rachel is sleeping in the guest room and… I’ve put Dick on the couch.” Dawn says, once she enters their bedroom. Hank is sitting in bed, hands on his face, and Dawn can tell he’s trying to keep his emotions in check.

“Are we a hotel right now?” he says, and Dawn just sighs.

This isn’t what she wants either. She never expected to see Dick again, but how can she not help him? And the poor girl…

“It’s just temporary, Hank.” she assures, knowing it will fall in deaf ears. Dick had become a sore spot for Hank over the years, and there is nothing she can do about that.

Dawn wishes they could go back in time, believes they can make it work if they try once again.

She wants that, needs it.

Loving Hank was easy as breathing, she can never get enough. They are both happy with their relationship, yet they know there’s something missing, someone, more specifically.

_Dick_.

Hank never told her, but she knows his anxiety doesn’t come only from retirement.

She hugs his tense muscles and pulls Hank to bed.

-

“Wake up.”

Dick jerks awake, ready to punch whoever came up to him, but before he can, a hand gently puts his fist down and he stares, blinking at the person in front of him.

“Hank.” he says, tensing up. He had hoped they wouldn’t interact much, not sure what he would end up revealing, but he should have known better. Hank never leaves anything unfinished.

“Sit.” Hank demands, and Dick obeys. Hank sits on the other side of the couch and stares straight ahead, breathing slowly. How Dick wishes he wasn’t the cause of the tension imprinted on his face.

“Why?” he says, not looking at Dick’s direction.

“Why what?” Dick feigns ignorance.

“You know exactly what I’m asking, Dick.” his heart twinges painfully at Hank’s tone, but he doesn’t let it show, he can’t.

A few moments of silence passes between them and Dick ponders if he should just lie and let Hank continue thinking he was, well, a dick. But as he is opening his mouth, Hank interrupts him with a loud sigh.

“I knew speaking with you was going to be useless. You left without a word, I don’t know what made me think you would have changed-”

“I’ve changed.” Dick cuts him off, “I’ve changed, and I don’t like it.” he gulps drily, trying not to think of all the horrible things he’s done since he left.

Hank rans a hand through his hair and makes eye contact for the first time. “Then tell me. Why did you leave?”

“Because it was for the better.” he looks down, running from those pained, beautiful eyes.

“And how is that?” Hank huffs a laugh, “you just told me you don’t like whatever happened to you. And Dawn and I? How does you leaving makes it better for us? We were _happy,_ Dick.” Dick can tell Hank is just barely containing his anger, and that fuels his own. It always did.

“You are better off without me, that’s why.” he bites right back.

“Oh, what a martyr. You know what? Fuck you. Who are you to tell me you aren’t what we want?”

“I don’t deal well with people.”

“And you think I don’t know that? Gosh, we were dating for fuck’s sake! Of course I knew you weren’t easy! Dawn knew it too. We were going to have a serious conversation about that matter, Dick. _If you hadn’t run away with your tail between your legs_.”

“I didn’t run away!” Dick hisses.

“Oh, no? Than what was that?”

“I was going to come back. See? Aren’t I here?”

“Four years later, yeah. Here you are. What do you want, a welcome back kiss? ‘We missed you so much’ speech?”

“I just wanted to check on you! _Fuck!_ ” he snaps and punches the cushion next to him, letting out some of his anger.

There’s an awkward moment of silence that followed Dick’s outburst, filled only by his own hard breathing. He closes his eyes and grabs a better hold on himself.

When he opens them, he notices Hank looking at him with what could only be sadness mixed with a little bit of hope.

“You still care for us?” Hank asks, breaking the silence and Dick nods.

“Care, love, miss. Whatever you wanna call it.” he admits, suddenly tired and feeling too much exposed.

Hank must have sensed it, because next thing he knows, Hank is sitting up and looking down at Dick, with a strange expression playing on his face. God, Dick doesn’t even want to know what he looks like right now.

Hank extends a hand to Dick, and he takes it, hesitating only for a second, and is immediately pulled into a hug. His insides clench nervously with the change of character, but he hugs back, relaxing at the familiar smell of Hank surrounding him.

“I care, love, miss you too. And Dawn is probably waiting for us to go back to the bedroom right now for a cuddle.” He squeezes Dick firmly, “We still have a lot of shit to deal with, but I kind of want that cuddle too.”

Dick nods, words knotting up in his throat just like it always does when he gets too emotional, and holds Hank with all he has.

“I’m sorry.” he manages, a little bit shaky.

“I forgive you.” Hank kisses the top of his head and he breaks down, knowing that he is safe.


	2. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo so I thought "why not write a continuation, you know?"   
> Here it is. Any mistakes are mine!   
> Enjoy!!

Hank wakes up feeling pleasantly warm inside. He stretches an arm towards the body in front of him to pull it closer but freezes mid action.

Where he was expecting Dawn’s petite strong form he found himself holding wider hips. He knows those hips and the scars adorning the skin from years ago.

He opens his eyes and for a moment his heart skips a beat, and he can’t believe what his eyes were showing.

Dick.

Memories from the night before resurface as the fog from sleep leaves his brain.

He stiffens and extracts his hand from Dick, relaxing when he doesn’t seem to have wakened them up.

It’s not that he isn’t happy Dick’s back, it’s just—it will take some time for him to be totally comfortable with him again.

He hears cluttering noise coming from outside the bedroom door and remembers of Raven. He uses that as an excuse to get out of bed, successfully not waking up his two bed partners. Hank’s heart squeezes half painfully half lovingly at their sleeping faces before leaving the room. They look so peaceful, so calm. Just like all those years ago. A pang of rage courses through him remembering Dawn’s expression when Dick left.

If Dick ever thinks of hurting Dawn like that again, Hank’s not sure what he’ll end up doing to him.

“Breakfast?” Raven’s voice brings him back to reality. He’s standing in the kitchen’s doorway while Raven is oiling up a pan to make a scrambled eggs.

“Sure, kid.” He crosses the kitchen, and starts the coffee machine, filling it up for at least six people. He remembers how much Dick likes coffee.

After that, Hank arranges plates and mugs at the table in companionship silence and helps Raven in whatever task she needs.

“Can you get me a bowl, please?”

Their fingers touch the moment Hank gives her the ceramic and his head snaps.

_“I think we should tell him, Hank.” Dawn says one day, over an afternoon tea. Dick had gone to the bathroom and it gave them enough time to plan how to confess their feelings towards him. Or so they thought._

_“Tell who what?” Dick asks—_

_Dick is leaning against the doorframe, looking as gorgeous as ever with an easy smile on his face while he watches Hank punching a sandbag. He comes closer when Hank stops his training and holds Hank’s knuckles over his lips, kissing the soreness away—_

_“Don’t go.” Dawn’s voice breaks as she holds Dick’s hand desperately._

_“I have to.” His voice is set, but Hank can tell this is affecting him more than he shows. His eyes are too wet. “Goodbye—_

Hank physically shots back, breathing hard and accidentally lets go of the bowl, which breaks at their feet. He squeezes his eyes shut and one by one, stores the memories away.

“I’m sorry.” Raven’s voice is a little wobbly. When Hank opens his eyes again, he notices hers are comically wide. He shakes his head, hoping that the movement is more assuring than it feels, and excuses himself to the bathroom.

-

Dawn jolts awake with the sound of something breaking and a door slamming shut.

“What was that?” she hears Dick asking next to her and she smiles despite everything. It’s been so long since they had Dick with them, it feels like a dream.

She gives in on the urge to kiss his lips as a good morning greeting and jumps off the bed.

“We should go check.” She sobers up, concern growing in her bones.

Dick nods and follows Dawn out of the room. First thing she notices is the bathroom door closed, followed by some erratic movements in the kitchen.

“What’s wrong, Raven?” she asks when they see her pacing the floor with a broom in hand, in a mixture of worry and fear. She stops when she sees them in the kitchen doorway and takes a step back, shaking her head violently.

“I swear I didn’t do it on purpose, I swear!” she sounds so frightened Dawn just wants to get her in a hug.

On the corner of her eyes, she can see Dick frowning.

“What happened here?” Raven flinches at Dick’s dry voice and Dawn wants to slap him for scaring the child more than she already was.

“I don’t—I was just making some eggs, I swear—Hank was helping me and then our fingers touched, and I- I saw some of his memories.” Her gaze flicked from Dawn to Dick and to the ground again. “I’m sorry.”

Dawn remembers when that happened to her, the memory Raven saw, and grimaces, hoping whatever Raven had seen from Hank’s mind isn’t too damaging. But judging by the way Hank hid in the bathroom, that isn’t the case.

“It’s not your fault, Raven.” She manages to say and Dick nods by her side.

“Whatever is that you do, it’s involuntary and out of your grasp of understanding. Don’t—just don’t beat yourself over this, ok?”

Raven nods carefully, face still showing some traces of uneasiness, but she comes willingly to Dawn’s embrace when she opens her arms invitingly.

“So,” Dawn starts when she feels Raven’s more relaxed. “What is it that you saw?”

“I don’t know,” she says sincerely, “it was confusing, a lot of different memories and feelings. Mostly happiness, love, pain…” she shakes her head and turns to Dick, “and you.” Dawn tenses, waiting for the worst, “you hurt him, Dick.” Raven adds, her voice going flat.

Oh. Dawn can picture the exact memory herself, sour taste growing in her mouth. Nothing Dick’s ever done hurt Hank as much as the time he left. Looking at the sore, hurt expression in Dick’s face, he knows too. She catches his eyes and nods when he asks a silence question.

“Come, Raven. Let’s grab some breakfast from the bakery down the street. They have the sweetest croissants.” She leads Raven back to the guest room and then makes a bee line to her own for a change of clothes. When they are both ready, Dawn catches Dick by the arm and whispers.

“Take care of him.”

“I will.” He looks determined; ready to try everything he can to mend this. Dawn nods and opens the front door, trusting Dick.

-

Dick nocks tentatively on the door.

“Hank, open up.” He feels anxiety rising in his chest. Dick doesn’t know what he will say to Hank when he opens the door. Everything he had to say, he said last night. But Dick also didn’t want to leave Hank. Never again.

He hears the _clack_ of the door unlocking and breathes deeply once, readying himself as he opens the door. He has to be strong for Hank.

He is almost tackled to the ground by the force of Hank’s embrace, and it takes him a moment to truly understand what’s happening, but he wraps his arms around Hank the second he does.

“Don’t go.” Hank’s voice is small and charged with sadness, echoing Dawn’s words from the day he left. Something inside Dick breaks and he finds himself tightening his grip around Hank.

“I won’t. I promise you I won’t.” Dick kisses his temple.

“I hate you so much for leaving.” He says, hiding his face in Dick’s neck, and Dick swallows a lump in his throat.

“I know. I hate me too.” He closes his eyes, letting all the dark feelings wash over him, admitting them to himself for the first time.

Hank doesn’t say anything after that, just hug him tightly back.

They stay like that, standing in the bathroom and hugging for a long time, neither of them wanting to break away, but eventually Dick nudges them to the sofa, where they lie down and Dick kisses Hank once on his cheeks then moving for his lips.

They kiss slowly, neither of them in a hurry, just wanting to enjoy the sensation of lips against lips and sometimes teeth against teeth. Dick breathes deeply, relaxing at the strong smell of Hank, exactly like last night.

Dick brings Hank closer by the hips, wanting their bodies to be touching everywhere possible. He’d missed this, missed Hank, missed Dawn. He’s glad to have it back.

Hank is the one who deepens the kiss, swiping his tongue against Dick’s lips, asking shyly for permission to enter. Dick opens his mouth gladly, moaning as Hank’s licks around tenderly.

He only realizes he’s crying when a salty wetness mixes itself in their mouth. He breaks the kiss delicately and suddenly he feels pang of mixed feelings surfacing from deep inside.

“What’s wrong?” Hank asks, moving a little farther away, but not enough Dick can’t  feel his presence.

“It’s just. I’m so glad to be back. And that I’m really, truly sorry to have left. And that I love you, and love Dawn. And all these feelings, they are spilling out, and I don’t know how to deal with them properly. I’m sorry.” He sniffs and doesn’t look Hank in the eyes. “I was trying to be strong for you, didn’t mean to break down.”

“Hey, hey,” Hank kisses his hair, and Dick shivers at caring motion, “you don’t have to be strong for me alone, we can do this together. And we can always lean on Dawn, because she is the strongest person I’ve ever met, and I’m sure it’s the same for you.” Dick agrees silently. “But yeah, I’m glad you are back too, and yeah, I love you too, you doofus.” He kisses Dick’s nose next. “And I feel I said all of this yesterday, didn’t I?”

Dick snorts despite himself and nods, smile forming shyly in his lips.

“Thanks for repeating them, then.”

“Anything for you.”

“Oh, that’s sappy.” Dick jokes.

“You know what’s really sappy? Crying while making out with your boyfriend.”

Dick is shocked for a millisecond before he barks out a laugh, and it’s been so long since he genuinely laughs like that. He loves it.

Hank is following him, a moment later, laughing loudly for the whole neighborhood to hear.

Soon after, Dawn comes back with Raven from the bakery and asks what the meaning of all the noise is, but they just pull her into a hug and kiss her carefreely, meanwhile Raven makes a mock-disgusted noise in the kitchen and says the breakfast is ready.

Dick smiles and hugs his lovers once more before joining Raven.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comment and give a kudo if you enjoyed! thank you for reading!   
> My [Tumblr](https://sparkly-angell.tumblr.com/)

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and Kudos are ALWAYS welcome! Thank you for reading!  
> My [Tumblr](https://sparkly-angell.tumblr.com/)


End file.
